


God's Gambit

by R_A_McCaffrey



Category: Code Geass
Genre: Gen, POV Multiple, Time Travel, global
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-21
Updated: 2020-09-12
Packaged: 2021-03-06 22:22:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 24,286
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26026408
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/R_A_McCaffrey/pseuds/R_A_McCaffrey
Summary: Lelouch drastically changes his views on what really matters during the confrontation with his parents in C's World when they try to destroy God. This comes into play as when he uses Geass on the Collective Unconscious he is sent back in time to save 'Tomorrow'
Comments: 14
Kudos: 39





	1. Intro

**Author's Note:**

> Ok so I figure I should start with this. I used to have a fanfiction.net account where I had a few stories... Then you know how life is and I just get away from writing. So I had not updated anything in the last few years, and I seemed to have reached a point in my life were I want to start writing again I took them down. I am working on fixing and polishing them up and will then be posting and continuing the stories. 2 Harry potter stories, 1 Code Geass, and 1 A song of fire and ice if anyone is interested in Betaing them.

AHEM… I do not in anyway shape or form own any part of the Code Geass Universe.

I am sorry that the first section comes off a little jarring but I felt it should be in First person.

**Introduction**

Standing there on the shrine-like platform within the Thought Elevator, I realized that I did not have the faintest clue what it’s real name was, shaking that thought aside I focused on what the Thought Elevator was, a platform in the middle of an endless expanse of clouds with a large and menacing planet looming overhead. It held power though, more power than any man should ever have access to locked within its vast empty space.

Before me stands Britannian Emperor Charles Zi Britannia, in a long, purple, button-up coat, and his consort, Marianne Vi Britannia, in a rather plain, light brown dress. The fools think that they can still call themselves my mother and father, even after everything they did. After abandoning Nunnally and me, casting us out, denouncing us, leaving us to die in Japan during the invasion they planned and executed. Worst of all they feel like they could speak to me as if I was still their loving child. It had been eight long years since I've seen that man as my father, and to see my mother happy, smiling, a willing participant and even collaborator in the twisted schemes of that man makes me sick.

I am Lelouch Vi Britannia, their son by birth, but now I know how much more I truly am. I am Lelouch Lamperouge; the older brother of Nunnally and Rolo Lamperouge, Zero of the people, a Geass user and yet the destroyer of the Geass order, a user and betrayer of friends, a man that has forged his mind in so very many mistakes. Here and now, if I can do nothing else, I will destroy them and the perverse future that they hope to create.

I faintly hear someone approaching from out of the misty clouds behind me. Whirling around, I find myself facing both C.C. and Suzaku as they walk slowly towards me. The frustration and anger that had been welling up inside of me at my parents, gladly used this new outlet to vent as I spit, "So, I take it you have recovered your memories, C.C., all according to the plan?" I feel a painful pang of remorse as she uncharacteristically bows her head in shame at my biting remark.

Charles continued his monologuing about how everything in ‘The Plan’ was going smoothly, while at the same time the details of the plan finally came out. I listen absentmindedly as I watch the two new arrivals intently to find out why specifically they were there, figuring it would not be hard, I was probably the person that knows both of them best. C.C. seemed withdrawn, but unlike when she lost her memory and left me alone in this hell we had created, it was not because she was afraid but more like she was unsure of what she was doing, hesitant.

Though I can clearly see the confusion on Suzaku's face, there is a spark of defiance in his eyes. I can only hope that my former friend would be willing to put aside our mutual hate for each other to stop this travesty. Neither Nunnally and Euphemia, the two people we fight for, that we had killed, my precious sisters, would have wanted a world like my parents dreamed of.

Suzaku's voice, full of anger and frustration, drew me from the painful memories, "What are you planning here your Majesty?"

"I am building a new world. A world that Nunnally and Euphemia would be proud of, and now that we are all assembled we can commence. C.C. I will fulfill my part when we are done here." Charles' voice sounds like an echo as it booms out over the vacant space of C's world.

I watch as Charles lifts his hand. There on his palm was the mark of Geass like the one upon C.C. forehead, and it glowed as bright as a hadron cannon. Before I could do anything, the mark upon C.C.'s brow began to emit a glow just as powerful as the one upon Charles' palm until everything was lit with a eerie, violet glow.

As soon as my eyes began to adjust to the light, it vanished. Looking around frantically, I can see the clouds and sky around us falling like shards of glass from a shattered mirror, leaving behind a layer of gears and pistons; machines like the inside of a knightmare. I see it then, there behind my parents is a vile-looking cord going up to the planet in the sky that they call god.

I can vaguely hear Marianne whisper in an awed voice "The Sword of Akasha is slaying god…" as her husband walks forward to join his mark with C.C.'s.

I understand, it all makes sense now, they called that planet god, not for the first time, but this time put their words into perspective. God in C's world is the collective unconscious of mankind, and if one were to destroy that it would be the destruction of all drives, hopes and dreams of mankind. Something like that, it was pointless. To destroy hope and drive, what would that truly accomplish but to destroy the world's ability to move forward?

I hear Suzaku urgently whisper from behind me, "Lelouch what was your reason for wanting to control the world, was it truly for Nunnally sake?"

My lips quirk at the irony; what my parents wish to destroy was going to destroy them in turn. Taking one long stride forward to address the Emperor and his consort, I explain both to them and to Suzaku and C.C., "I have fought to protect everything I ever wanted to protect. Now it seems I must stand up again to protect something that this time no one else knows needs to be protected."

I smirk as Charles smiles condescendingly at me and inquires in a patronizing tone, "And that is Lelouch?"

"I reject you, and I reject everything you believe in. Why do people lie? It isn't only because they struggle against each other, it's also because there is something that their seeking. You now want a world without change. How stagnant, you could hardly call it life. The same as a world of memories, just a world that's closed and completed, that's a place I wouldn't want to live in."

As I finish speaking. I hear C.C. gasp. I can easily assume why, she herself was a creature of memories. She had long ago forgotten what it meant to feel, and only recently had she started to feel anything again. Now she realizes that this plan might strip everyone of that, even though it would grant her the death she foolishly wants. Though it is well hidden, she at least was not unfeeling enough to subject people to what she had felt.

I watch dispassionately as Marianne steps forward, and in that voice only a mother could use asks, "But Lelouch does that mean you are rejecting me?"

With a cold look I sneer at the pathetic woman that thinks she is the mother that raised me, "Do you agree with his majesty?"

I watch the woman I had once called mother as she talks on about how we all can be together again, even those that have died. I can feel my face harden as she confirms what I was most afraid of.

"As I expected you both believe that this world will be best for all but you forget that forcing your good intentions on other is no better than an evil act. Look at what you did to Nunnally and me; you abandoned your children in a foreign land." Lelouch roared.

"But we did that to protect you"

"Then why did you not call off the invasion?" I feel a jolt of pleasure as Marianne recoils as if struck, but I continue as if nothing happened, "The plan was such a priority for you both that it did not matter if we died you just said it, we all could be together again. All that is left to you is self serving excuses. You don't give a damn about anyone but yourselves and the future you want to experience!"

I glare at the monster when Charles cuts me off, "The Ragnarok connection is the future. The gentle existence Nunnally spoke of…"

Yelling to be heard over the odious man in front of me as visions of the F.R.E.J.A. destroying the Area 11 Consulate flash through my mind, "STOP IT! The world you want would only be kinder and gentler for you, the world my sister wanted was one where people were kind to strangers they had never met before."

I lean forward, hiding my face from view as Charles laughs a deep, almost evil laugh, "There is nothing you can do about it. The connection is struck. It is over."

Straightening up, I take the contact out of my eye as I glare into Charles' eyes. Charles just sneers at me, "Your Geass power has no effect on me or on anyone else here Lelouch, do not be a fool."

I smile, though I can not really put my finger on why, but I do as I reply, "Ah but there is someone else here Charles. This is C's world, and in C's world is the collective unconscious of all mankind, and as you always say not all men are created equal."

Charles pales and yells furiously, "You can not defeat god with the power of the king, boy, only the Ragnarok Connection can destroy God."

"I don't intend to destroy God. This is a request. Yes, now I know who I really am. God, Collective Unconscious! Please, don't stop the march of time! Because what I want is tomorrow." I can feel the power of Geass rush through me as the birdlike symbol of Geass appears in the overhead planet.

A mighty snap fills the air as the Sword of Akasha shakes violently, then a faint noise little more than a whisper on the wind seems to blow through my mind speaking in millions of different voices at once, "For the future to keep moving, we must go to the past."

And with that, all that remains in the world of C shatters like the clouds and sky earlier, leaving nothing but darkness and the sensation that I was being pulled away…

****G's G****

Looking down at the darkness. They could barely discern the spirit of Lelouch Lamperouge as it made it's way back in time . They knew that They had made the right decision.

Sending the young man back in time was the best option, for he was the only one that truly wished to change themselves for the better. The others present were either set in their ways and firmly believed they were in the right, or they felt despair and regret but had given up on trying to change their own paths, but this one he had a burning need to fix what he had done and what he had become that reached out to even Them.

He would stop his parents and free Them from this fear of destruction, of the destruction of human will. For while the foolish couple below did not truly understand; They were everyone that had died. They were every desire. They were every hope. They were the will of mankind, an entity that by its very nature had become mankind's God.

The boy would do everything he could to save Them, to do better than he had last time. They knew though that such change even when wanted would be hard for a single man no matter how determined to follow through with; as such They had decided to send someone back with him to serve as a reminder. Both of what he accomplished and how he had failed. There were a few that wished to be sent, and They had been hard pressed to pick one part of Themself.

They eventually decided the best choice, the one choice would go back remembering who they were at their death, everything after that moment until the choice offered to them to go back became apart of Them and not the youngling. The chosen would serve as a reminder to Lelouch Lamperouge of who he had become, and what exactly he stood to lose if he lost his way again.

As the second soul disappeared into the time before, They beamed brightly, knowing that if They still possessed a human form, They would be smiling at the display of loyalty their choice had shown in their determination to help Lelouch Lamperouge.

*****G'sG*****

Lelouch slowly realized he was moving, it kind of felt like when Suzaku was dragging him down that hallway towards Charles all that time ago… He couldn't see, couldn't move, and all he could hear was a faint whispering from all around hims. He strained his ears, but he could not make out any words even when the whispers got louder.

Then, all of a sudden, he felt his head hit something hard, and his eyes shot open. Quickly taking in his surroundings as he tried to blink away the instantly throbbing pain in his skull. Though he quickly realized he was not even close to still being in the Thought Elevator anymore. He was in a the bay of a large truck filled with machinery that looked hauntingly familiar, but he had no idea where exactly the truck was or what the machinery reminded him of.

Trying to shake off the pounding ache in his head, he stood up to look around. He stopped short upon hearing a door slide open behind him. He quickly jumped behind a large pod-like container, rationalizing that most militaries at this point wanted him dead either for being Zero or for being Lelouch Vi Britannia it was best not to be seen, and truly he hoped whoever it was had not noticed him among the machines.

However, the voice that reached his ears made him freeze just when he made it behind the pod-like container, "Can you enter the tunnel through the Ozibo route?"

It was Kallen's voice; there was no doubt in his mind. Not only that, that exact phrase was the first thing that he ever remembered hearing her say not that he had known who she was at the time. 

Shaking off the memory of her standing up to the rest of the Black Knights for him that swam unbidden to the front of his mind, he started to wonder if this was all some elaborate dream he had been sentenced to by his parents as punishment for defying them after his attempt to geass God failed, if he had possibly failed in stopping them. No sooner had that thought crossed his mind than he again heard the chorus of voices from the deep recesses of his mind, "For a future, we must go to the past."

It sounded absurd, even to him a man that could bend anyone to his will, but if he had truly gone back in time, the possibilities of what he could do were endless. He could save Shirley, for all his many faults his loyal little brother Rolo, his sweet innocent baby sister Nunnally, and the still kind and caring Euphemia…

If he really had really come back in time… Then it hit him, and he looked around the truck frantically. There was Kallen getting into her old Glasgow, he noted absently, but he only had eyes for the canister he was hiding behind, the canister that should be hiding a wounded and tortured C.C. inside.

It was torture as he waited, watching Kallen jump out of the back of the truck to start fighting Jeremiah and the rest of the Blood Purists. He brushed off his worry for Kallen, knowing that she had come through fine last time, and this time with luck he would be able to help her sooner.

Once she had sped off in her Glasgow, he immediately leapt from his hiding spot and got to work on the capsule. He had opened it easily last time, but then again, he had not even wanted to open it last time it had just opened before him and Suzaku. However now getting a look at the complicated panel that had to be the controls for the pod itself he could not help the annoyance that swelled up inside of him. In a fit of indignation, he punched the control panel then watched in shock as the capsule let lose a hiss and the dome pulled back, revealing C.C..

As his witch spilled out onto the floor, everything between them flashed through his mind as he sat down and pulled her onto his lap. She had been his one and only confidant for the last few months, the one that helped him harden his heart so that he could accomplish his mission. Then she had disappeared, lost within her own mind, and try as he might he had not been able to help her. Bitter rage had filled him at his own predicament, rage that he then undeservedly unleashed on her only moments before in the thought elevator. While tenderly caressing her cheek with one hand, he used the other to undo the bonds on her arms.

Now he realized how foolish he'd been to lash out at her. He ran his fingers through her hair as he pondered all he had to lose, his friends, his family, and, worst of all, himself. If this was true, if he was able to, he was going to make sure to fix everything this time; most importantly he would never let himself become like his mother or father again.

As the interior of the truck got darker, and he knew that they must have entered the underground. Last time after they crashed they had been found by Suzaku, and, though he held out hope that Suzaku had no more memory of events then Kallen clearly lacked, he couldn't help the worry that as Suzaku had been there with him in the Thought Elevator there was a possibility that he would remember and that was more of a danger then anyone short of the Emperor.

No, there was too many things he knew now that showed how foolish he had been with almost every decision he made in the beginning of the Black Rebellion, so naive as he searched for his vengeance when all he should have done was focus on his father and destroying the country of his birth.

He gave C.C.'s face one last look before gently placing her on the floor of the truck. Getting up, he started to look for anything he could find, anything that would help him. He remembered that last time he had managed to grab a communicator from the truck and knew that he would probably have to do that again, but for now, he was looking for anything helpful that he had missed last time.

It did not take him long to find the radio. He couldn't help but notice, however, that while there was a lot of machinery in the truck, most of it was useless, or he had no idea what it was at least. What he did find was a set of lockers. Of course, they were locked because, as he thought, 'Well, what else would it be?' Scavenging through the loose machinery had earned him a quarter inch thick metal plate from what he guessed was a Burai's arm; he figured it would work fine as a crowbar.

The first locker broke open in the screech of metal grinding on metal. He chided himself for both his lack of upper body strength making it take so long and for forgetting his physics. As after putting all the force he could muster on the wedge, forcing the locker to finally open, he fell forward into the wall of the truck and then onto the ground with a heavy thud.

Scrambling to his feet, he listened to see if the driver noticed. When the truck kept its course and the door to the front of the truck never opened, he looked in the locker. Rather shocked at what he found, he started taking anything he thought might be useful. Neatly placed on two racks hanging on the door were a pair of decent quality Britannian 9 mm handguns. On the shelf at the top of the locker was a box of one hundred 9mm ammo. Most importantly, just below the shelf was a uniform of the average Britannian soldier along with the standard field bag filled with the some first aid supplies, a pair of frag grenades and a smoke grenade.

Casting one look to make sure C.C. was still asleep, Lelouch shucked off his school clothes, folded them to put in the bag later, and started to dress as a Britannian Soldier while forming a plan in his mind. There was one precise thing that was the cause of everything that had truly gone bad in Shinjuku. Suzaku. Suzaku had shown up and attacked him, stalling him until other soldiers had shown up. Those others had decided that he needed to die, and that caused even more problems. It had all culminated in the truck exploding, and he, himself, only just escaping. Then later to snatch victory for Britannia from the jaws of defeat Suzaku has shown up in the Lancelot and easily routed Oghi and the rest of the terrorists. Suzaku had almost managed to even capture him as well. No, he was already working out as many plans as possible for every possible situation for his encounter with Suzaku, whether his old friend remembered or not, Suzaku was not going to be a threat to him or to Nunnally this time.

Putting one of the guns on his belt along with the grenades, he ejected the magazine from the other gun and threw both the extra gun and the magazine into his new bag on top of his clothes. Turning towards C.C. as he started pulling the helmet over his head, the entire truck jolted then stopped abruptly. As he flew forward, Lelouch cursed whoever let him redo this, thinking that they could have at least let him get the blasted helmet on his head first before they threw him headfirst into the ground again.

As he crashed in a heap next to C.C., he noted that one of the side doors had opened in the crash. Now, now it was time to set up his plan. He knew Suzaku was out there watching right now, and as he scrambled to his feet he made his way to the open door, putting the helmet as he went and allowing the interface to activate. He had an objective to clear.


	2. A Better Start

Chapter One: A Better Start

When he had first heard about his assignment in the helicopter Suzaku Kururugi had been horrified. How could terrorists have managed to infiltrate a Brittannian base and steal poison gas? And worse to think about what would happen to those elevens like him once the terrorists used the gas. He had suppressed a shudder, as he along with the others here had suited up for recon duty.

After being dropped in front of one of the entrances to the Shinjuku subway tunnels to the west of the one the truck entered, he and the other Honorary Brittannian split up as soon as they started hitting crossroads in the tunnels. There were not many different paths to take, but there were not many elevens who were willing to become Honorary Brittannians and even less that would do so and help the Brittannian military, so in the end he and his squad mates had all ended up alone in the tunnels.

As he ran through the tunnels he ignored the static and chirps his radio occasionally gave off, it was to be expected of course. He was only an eleven so the worst equipment that the Britannian Army had would end up in his hands, it was as expected as the fact that he had no gun or weapon of any kind. He was used to this though, and the Brittannains were right it was their job to fix the problems their brethren caused.

Suzaku was yanked from his musing when he saw a flash of light up ahead before he heard a grinding crash. He sprinted down the tunnel and as he reached for his radio, only just stopping from pushing the button to talk. He knew that it was the truck up ahead, but if he called it in without having visually confirmed then he would be in trouble later even when he was proven right. Elevens were not to take up time on Brittannian radios unless they had direct confirmation of their objective after all.

As he ran into the ahead he could see the tunnel open up into a man made cavern, and as he approached the entrance he felt the hair on the back of his neck stand on end. Nevertheless he charged into the giant room, and tried to give his helmet a moment to take in and scan everything around him. He could easily see the truck on the other side of the room with it's side door wide open, he assumed it failed to turn into whichever exit it was aiming for. Though the number of entrances to this room did make him uncomfortable as there had to be at least thirty ways in and out of this room.

It happened while he was distracted with the details of the room and his helmet was adjusting to everything it scanned as he ran towards the truck that he saw the small flash from the tunnel next to the truck. A tunnel that was a good twenty meters away from him at this point he guessed as pain shot up his side. He could feel his leg crumble under him as someone in a Brittannian Soldier uniform stepped out of the shadows of the tunnel and made for the side door of the truck.

He felt for his waist as he lay on the ground, and could feel the blood freely flowing from the bullet wound. He held one hand on the injury and with his other grabbed his radio, then he snapped back to looking at the truck when he heard the gun go off again.

He noted when he reappeared that the Brittanian soldier was heading down the tunnel he had shot out of, and appeared to be carrying someone.

It was only after the soldier disappeared from view that he remembered his radio and pushed the button, "Honorary 7. Confirm location... Truck located. Terrorist dressed as Brittanian soldier escaped west by north west down side tunnel. Terrorist is armed. Medical assistance requested."

Suzaku tried to pull himself towards the truck as he waited for a response, but as the blood poured from his waist and he dragged himself across the floor he felt himself slowly slipping as the world seemed to fade away. 

*****G'sG*****

She could feel it, the fluttering of a consciousness touching hers. For the first time in a long time though there was no pain with the feeling; it had been a long time since she had felt a consciousness touching her and it had not been inflicting pain, not since that foolish son of Charles had found her and incidentally discovered she was immortal.

This one was persistent, though; it had not gone away or caused her pain, despite what must have been an eternity of just touching her for these people.

Cautiously, she let her mind reach out, and withdrew quickly at the feel of the person's mind. This person was familiar, even more so than Clovis had been when she first reached out to him. Yes, she had met this person before though at this moment she could not place where. For a moment she feared who this could be. Her fear though was quickly washed away by the fact that no matter who it was it could not be much worse than what she had been going through recently; even returning to Mao, despite the fact that he would not fulfill his contract, was preferable to this hell.

Deciding to go for broke and pushing forward with her mind, she grasped onto the consciousness of the person holding her. She could faintly tell that the person had been running with her in his arms before she dove into his memories. Enjoying just for a moment that it probably hurt this scientist a little, she started to look through his memories.

She started at the beginning and she quickly realized who this was as she watched him age, a realization that explained why he felt familiar and made her regret the small pain he must have felt as she dove into his memories. He was Marianne's boy; she had seen the boy as he grew up at Aries Villa and had visited him once at Marianne's instance while he was in Japan right before the invasion. She had thought, however, that he was lost in the invasion, an opinion that Marianne had never contradicted. Though clearly the boy was more resourceful than she had thought. Maybe he would be willing to do what his mother could not, she wondered for a moment if that was why Marianne had not told her the boy was alive, but discarded it as unimportant.

The boy definitely had the desire and drive to accept a contract, anything to protect his sister and destroy his father he could feel that as soon as she witnessed the boy's reaction to Charles' imp brother's tantrum.

She watched with a smirk as the boy jumped into the truck to see if he could help anyone. The boy was interesting. He was cold and unemotional to most people he met, but the boy showed his true colors when he ran to help immediately upon seeing the accident. Yes, the boy did have promise for her gift, she would be interested to see how it manifested for him.

She had almost completely expelled herself from the boy's mind when she noticed a discrepancy she could not explain. She watched him never touch her, leaving her alone after the capsule released her and running away. Why then was she in his arms now? Then she witnessed herself giving him Geass in his memories, which further confused her; she knew that she had not given the boy Geass. She was also aware that Charles could not use his Geass on her to make her forget; no, something else was definitely going on here something beyond even her and Geass.

She watched intently as the boy led an under manned and under powered rebellion against the greatest military power in the world, a rebellion fraught with mistakes of the boys making, though he made the most of them. What unnerved her was how close he gotten to her; he knew her name, something not even Marianne and Charles knew. She watched as the boy reaffirmed his contract with her, which truly touched her; no one had cared for her like that in a long time, not since she had lost her own Geass. She also couldn't help but feel jealous as he interacted with Kallen and Shirley, another emotion she had not truly felt in a long time.

She watched him ultimately fail only to rise again with her help. He made it so far as to create a new and free Japan, his first true goal achieved. She could feel his concern and devastation as her memories were lost. She could feel his pain as first Shirley and then his sister, Nunnally, were killed. Shortly after she witnessed the betrayal by those he thought of as his men.

It looked like he was not able to finish his contract either, though his words "Don't die looking like that; you should come to death smiling," made her think. She felt his emotions as he spoke; he wished for her to at least die happy, or better yet, to continue living. Despite feeling his emotions, his words still confused her, "You should come to death smiling..."

This boy's feelings for her were obvious, even if she knew he had no idea what they would do to her if he truly expressed them. His feelings towards the other girls though, that could make things interesting. At least she knew he was a red-blooded male underneath that haughty exterior.

She continued watching as the child Rolo died, the child that the boy had used for almost a year. She could feel his remorse, his regret, as the grief caused by what he had done and what he had become filled him.

She couldn't believe that the boy confronted Charles in C's World after what had happened the last time. She couldn't help the sorrow that filled her when Charles struck the Ragnarok Connection to God, even though it would have meant her wish was coming true. There was a painful twist in her gut as she listened to the boy as he denounced Charles' plan as something that would make the world no better than the Hell she was cursed to experience every day.

As the memories ended with the boy geassing God, she faintly heard the boy in her mind, "Are you ok, Selene?"

She could feel his sincerity, his concern as he asked. When she did not reply, he asked aloud, and this time she could feel the fear in him, "You are ok right? You remember?"

She was honored that he had that much faith in her, even if it was misplaced. She was a little shocked at herself as she started the process of giving the boy Geass, just like last time, as she mockingly whispered into his mind, "What are you waiting for? You already know what to do."

As the contract started to form, she let herself shut down, exhausted like she always was after starting a contract. She could feel his small arms cradle her as she retreated into the depths of her mind to go over everything that she had learned.

*****G'sG*****

As he stared down at the unconscious eleven for the first time since coming to this god forsaken area he wished that they gave these stupid monkeys some decent equipment. If the eleven had a decent radio he wouldn't have to send two of his men to bring the bastard back to medical so they could get him patched up and lucid enough to find out what he saw that left them with that curse transmission that had Bartley and Clovis pissing their pants.

Though he had to admit the transmission did make him nervous when he thought about it, as if summoned by his thoughts it repeated itself in his mind, " Honorary 7.  _ *Crackle* _ location  _ *Crackle* _ Terrorist  _ *Crackle* _ Brittanian soldier  _ *Crackle* _ north west  _ *Crackle* _ tunnel  _ *Crackle* _ Medical  _ *Crackle* _ ."

If it was not for the fact that the eleven had stated that he saw a Brittanian soldier somewhere in this, he would have let the eleven bleed out, but the damn helmet did not record so they needed him alive.

Then there was the fact there were so many tunnels. He as Captain of Prince Clovis' Royal Guard had ordered the eleven scouts down most of the tunnels while he and his men would head down the tunnel closest to the truck. While that tunnel was not North west he felt it was the most likely, especially as the driver at least had been aiming for that tunnel but the stupid eleven that it was missed the tunnel.

His thought turned to what they would do if this was some Brittanian noble trying to stage a coup against the Prince, as he followed his men down the tunnel.

*****G'sG*****

Lelouch smirked at how things were going as he adjusted C.C. on his lap. He was concerned that she still was not moving, even after he had felt her give him his Geass. Last time she was up and moving around at this point but then again she had been shot before she gave him his Geass so maybe this was normal; it was disturbing though that she lay so still now. Thus, he was keeping her with him as much as possible, at least until they returned to Ashford, and if feeling her pressed up against him in the cramped Sutherland was a bonus, who was he to argue?

Everything was going well so far though. As soon as he had gotten a distance down the tunnel he had quickly changed back into his Ashford Academy Uniform tossing everything else in his bag. Then finding a secure area that led up to the surface he had stashed C.C. and the bag and waited for anyone that followed him. He had not been disappointed when over twenty of Clovis' Royal Guard had come streaming into the area, weapons trained on him. He had at first stuttered out a request for help until noticing that like before none wore a helmet. They had made good slaves at that point.

A few more orders and he had a fresh new Royal Guard uniform, the Captain had requested a Knightmare Pilot rendezvous with them and a Mechanized Infantry unit to rendezvous with one of his Guard at a specific location, then the Captain and his men headed out for one last mission.

With those pawns sent to accomplish a most important task, he had to wait only a moment before gaining himself a Knight. He felt that his command to Villetta was a fitting punishment, and now she was a loyal and controlled piece. With giving him her Knightmare he had sent her to secure her position within Britannia's soon to be crumbling military in Japan.

Then with all the time he had saved by not being aimless indecisive about what he was going to do, he took one last detour to the Mechanized Infantry rendezvous spot and took them over as well. A simple command and they also were his. Having them destroy all tracking devices on their equipment then abandoning everything but the bare minimum of guns and ammo he sent them on their way to a rather pointless but interesting target. He wondered what the OSI would think of some of Clovis' men attacking a 'wayward' Noble's estate at the same time Clovis was clearing out a ghetto.

He would need to send some of Oghi's men to collect the equipment but that would be a task for later, when they were winning. It was not like they would have to worry about the Lancelot this time. He absently wondered if Suzaku survived the gunshot, but shook that thought aside. If Suzaku died, that was not his problem, the bastard had earned it after killing Nunnally.

Now it was time to focus. Now it was time for him to save Kallen.

That one brought thought back memories that, while terrible, made him smile sadly. Loyal and brave Kallen who he had never needed to Geass, who had chosen to stand between him and everyone she knew and trusted, just to try and keep him safe. He realized at that moment what she had meant to him. Thinking he was going to die , he had lied to her in the harshest and brutal fashion to keep her safe. Her horrified and hurt face at what he said hurt him far more than he wished to admit, but he had just lost Nunnally and, not long before, Shirley. There was no way he was going to even risk losing Kallen as well.

'This time,' he thought as his Knightmare sped off, 'this time I will save them all. Nothing will stop me; I swear it.'

*****G'sG*****

Kallen Kōzuki knew she was in a tight spot. Not only had used up one of her Glasgow Knightmare's arms to escape when she got over confident, but she was not able to cover the escape of the inhabitants of Shinjuku while simultaneously fighting the pair of Sutherlands chasing her. The Sutherlands that were following her did not have that problem and any time they saw anyone that was not a Brittannian soldier they lit them up. To make matters even more dire, that damned beeping from her own Knightmare was really grating on her nerves. "Dammit, I know I have less than thirty minutes left!" she swore.

Her head snapped up as her communicator went off with a voice she did not know, "The west entrance," a commanding voice ordered, "Use the tracks to move to the west entrance of Shinjuku."

Confused and worried as to what kind of idiot had managed to lose their communicator as she knew they were so low tech that the Brittanians could not 'hack' into them, she rebuked, "Who is this?! How do you know this code?!"

"Still impatient as ever, Kallen," the voice chuckled. Kallen paled and for a moment her mind went blank in fear, only managing to continue piloting the Knightmare through pure instinct though with that last spray of bullets it was close, "Regardless, if you wish to win, you're going to have to trust me," the voice continued.

"To win?" Kallen repeated, her voice sounding dull and as confused as she felt. She couldn't believe that this man who was not a part of the group knew that she was the one piloting the Knightmare, or hell there were people in the group that did not know her name of all things. He could have killed her no problem now, it's not like the Brittannian government would be opposed and her step mother would likely help them as well. Even more confusing to her at least was the feeling his voice radiated. She couldn't explain it well but it sounded almost as if he knew her very well, but she didn't recall hearing anyone like that before.

Desperate and out of choices, Kallen cursed herself for her foolish stupidity but complied with the commands of the mysterious voice.

Pushing the Glasgow as hard as she could, she pulled herself up onto the railroad tracks that lead to the subways. She cursed herself when she reached the top. There was nothing there except the train barreling towards her, and the two Sutherlands she had been avoiding had seen her climb and were almost on her now.

"Jump on the train, Kallen," the voice instructed. Kallen, shocked at the command, looked at the train moving towards her position, and tried to work out how to make that work. Putting on all her acceleration, she forced the Glasgow to leap as best as the hulking mechanical monstrosity could onto the top of the train just as the first enemy Sutherland caught up to her and effortlessly stopped the train in its tracks. The other Sutherland jumped up to follow her onto the train, and she cursed herself again for listening to the voice.

Her optics barely picked it up as a Slash Harken shot from the side, knocking the jumping enemy Sutherland out of the sky so that it plummeted off the raised tracks and fell a good ten stories at least. Her eyes widened comically when she noted that the shot had come from another Sutherland, complete with Britannian insignia and all, lurking in an abandoned building near the tracks.

A hail of bullets cut off any action the remaining Sutherland could have taken and had the extra effect of holding him in place long enough for her to finally react, pushing the throttle she shot at the Sutherland in front of the train and using her only good arm punched the mech's face in. She couldn't help but feel that it was a pity that the pilot managed to eject without being captured; the man might have had some good intel.

She pushed that momentary disappointment aside. "Thank you! How'd you get your hands on a Sutherland?" she spoke into her communicator.

There was no response on the communicator, and she noted that the hole in the building where she had seen the Sutherland was now empty. Her savior had evidently disappeared to make good on his own escape. She couldn't help but feel like she was ever so slightly outclassed by this mystery man.

"Kallen!" Ohgi's voice called out over the communicator. The rebel leader raced up to her upon the tracks along with the rest of their group, "What the hell was that radio message earlier?!"

"He contacted you too?" Kallen asked, staring at her friends as the radio crackled back to life again.

"Good to see you managed to make it back to Kallen alive, Kaname Oghi." The fear she had felt when the man had addressed her only got worse when she heard him mention Oghi's name. "For your skill and courage, I offer you and your men the cargo of this supply train. What is within will be the tools of your victory here. Prepare quickly; the people of Shinjuku do not have time to wait for you."

Thinking quickly, Kallen spun her Glasgow around and, using her one good arm, ripped the sliding door off of the first cargo car and could only sputter at what was revealed. Two complete Sutherlands were in the car itself, along with what looked like enough armaments to arm a small army.

"I see you appreciate my gifts. They, along with my guidance, will assist you in this battle. Do as I say, and victory will be yours without a doubt."

She couldn't help it, but as she tried to yell her voice caught, making it sound more like a stammer as she demanded, "How… How do you know-"

The voice cut her off, "Who you are, Kallen?" There was a pregnant pause before the voice came back sounding a lot sharper and colder than before, "Enough of this; suit up, recharge, and wait for my signal."

*****G'sG*****

Lelouch scoffed, his eyes focusing on the tactical map he had displayed on the screen of his Sutherland showing the movements of all the forces on the Britannia side as he got back in the cockpit of the Sutherland. Had it been this easy last time? He remembered vaguely how he had almost effortlessly beat Prince Clovis the first time, and he had to acknowledge that he had only gotten better with his experience from both rebellions. It still could not have been this easy the first time around though. If he had wanted to he was sure he could be using this time to test things but now was not the time. He had been running this battle like a well oiled machine carefully taking out all Britannian forces that he could. Though it was difficult with the limited equipment he had available, he had Oghi's people focusing more this time on destroying Sutherland, Armor Units and VTOLs if they were not helping with the evacuation. He knew now that it would do more to hurt Britannia if they lost two Tanks or a single Knightmare then if he had them butcher all the infantry that Britannia was currently fielding.

Snorting at Prince Clovis' incompetence, he maneuvered C.C. so that her arms were wrapped around him. Right now holding her even if she was unconscious was... it was something that felt comforting with so many possibilities open to him.

He was currently moving four units that were in 'reserve' as he told them. In reality, however, they were being strategically placed to deal with the Lancelot if it arrived even with everything he had done to stop that from happening. Their objective would be to take it out of action, hopefully for so long that it at least would be useless and could not be of use to Brittania till well after Cornelia showed up. However, he was planning to accomplish this without a significant loss of rebels.

Turning on the communicator, he hailed the group, "R1, R2, take your units and enter the building in front of you. Make your way to the second floor then wait for further instructions. Red Queen do you have a map of the Ghetto?

"Yes," he heard Kallen snap at him, the tone of voice almost causing an amused chuckle to escape him, "I have a map, but it doesn't have any current landmarks-!"

"Not a problem for this part of the plan," Lelouch interrupted reassuringly. He was intently watching the map on his console as Prince Clovis took half of his encircling forces and sent them into attack where Kallen's Glasgow had activated its signal.

He noted that just like last time, neither Clovis nor his advisors considered that she might be underground.

"Kallen, use your Slash Harkens to tear down the ceiling from under them, with all that weight it shouldn't take much to come down. Then meet up with P1, P2, and P7. They are located two blocks north of where you entered the maintenance tunnel."

"With this, I call check." Lelouch whispered, watching as the smoke started to rise above the Shinjuku skyline from Kallen's current position. It was then that he noted another smoke cloud in the distance near Prince Clovis' G1 base, and couldn't help but smirk.

Waiting until Kallen met up with the correct forces, glad that he no longer needed them there to deal with a potential Lancelot involvement, he continued his instructions, "We are not done yet. Q1, P1, P2, and P7, relieve P4 and P5 in escorting the civilians out of the ghetto.." His order cut through the mounting celebration of the rebels. He distinctly heard Tamaki over the communicator confusedly asking, "The battle isn't over yet?"

Snorting at the stupidity, he instructed, “No. The battle is not over till Prince Clovis is dealt with. That however will be my task to accomplish. Your primary mission is to get the people to safety and cover their retreat. P4 and P5 when you are replaced head to my current location at the southbound train station, there are supplies here for the use of you and the rest of your group.”

He heard who he believed was Sugiyama cut in, “You think you can kill a Prince?”

He simply chuckled as he moved his Sutherland towards the G1 base cutting off the communicator after answering, “Yes. Yes I will.”

*****G'sG*****

Lloyd stared at the handful of soldiers in the medical tent in no small amount of disgust. He needed a pilot for his Lancelot and when he had asked for one for this operation they had told him to find one in medical… However, according to their military files none of these fools could manage even a 50% efficiency rating with a Sutherland in a simulator, so what would they get in his machine? He would be lucky to pick one that made it to the double digits. To make matters worse when he offered it to the two injured Honorary Britannians, mostly because as numbers they had never tried a simulator so Lloyd didn’t know how good they would turn out to be, they had taken one look at the Britannian soldiers reactions around the tent and submissively said declined his offer. It was maddening, how was he supposed to get a decent devicer if the only one that he thought could use that Lancelot refused?

Turning to Cécile as they exited the medical tent, to properly express his dismay he just so happened to notice a new arrival in the form of an honorary Britannian staggering towards the medical tent while being escorted by two members of Prince Clovis' Royal Guard. Sweet sweet providence had provided him in his time of need, if neither of the guards were willing to try then maybe if he asked the Honorary Brittanian before he entered the medical tent he might say yes.

Grabbing Cécile’s arm and pulling her along he exclaimed, “Come come Cécile. I think I see a new potential recruiting opportunity for us coming our way.”

Ignoring his assistants' annoyed exclamation as he jerked her forwards, setting his stride straight for the group to head them off before they reached medical. He figured at least one of them would be willing to take up the assignment, worst case he could always drop hints about what he could give them if they agreed, he figured that it would go off without a problem though.

He had not even gotten halfway to his targets when he heard a massive explosion from the other side of the hastily set up base camp. Skidding to a surprised stop he turned to see where the explosion was from, and then he froze stock still. He could not be one hundred percent accurate with the massive G1 base between them and the rising smoke cloud, but it looked like there was a black cloud floating up from where his Lancelot was currently set up.

He shook his head to get rid of the possible nightmare in front of him only to look again when Cécile gasped having seemed to catch on to what they were seeing. He knew before he opened his eyes again that what he was seeing was real. His current mission of finding a devicer forgotten he ignored the group he had been heading towards and sped off as fast as his legs could carry him. He took off towards his baby, his arm still clutching Cécile arm as he almost dragged her behind him, leaving behind one foolish Honorary Britannian being half dragged into the medical tent.

******G’sG*****

Having been busy trying to get the citizens of Shinjuku ghetto to flee throughout most of the fighting, Sugiyama had himself only engaged with a few Britannian infantry every now and then for the most part, everything else they had just avoided. Not to say it had been easy, getting people to actively leave their homes even when the people next door were being shot for staying was more difficult than he expected. There were also too many that just wanted to run in any direction away from any Britannian soldiers they saw, usually into another squad or infantrymen. They had managed to save people... though it was unlikely that they managed to save more than a quarter of the inhabitants of Shinjuku Ghetto out of the thousands that lived there before the fighting started. Their houses would be gone and to make matters worse for the refugees, again, Shinjuku had a few community gardens that helped to feed the entire ghetto during the worst times that were likely destroyed as well. 

He tried to shake those dark thoughts out of his head, a difficult task as he couldn't help but think of all the people that cursed those that still fought like him, and how they were dooming the people of Japan's only chance of survival. Instead he tried to think about those that wanted to join them, they had almost two dozen potential recruits for their group, so many that a day ago he figured they wouldn't have had the weapon's to give them. However that was before this voice helped them acquire those Sutherlands.

Which brought him to where he was now, they had listened to the voice and headed to the southbound train station to pick up the 'supplies' the voice had said he had left for them there, only now they were hiding as there were four Britannian IFVs parked facing outwards from the station. He looked over at the other three rebels that were with him before deciding to ignore them and their argument, and looked back over the debris he was hiding behind so he could better see the station. Since the group of them had arrived at the station the other three rebels he was with had devolved into a furious but quiet argument about what they should do now, and wondering if the 'voice' had been caught or if this had all been some big trap. It was foolish in his opinion, they had seen Britannian forces retreating earlier and over the communicators they had Oghi was talking about how the Britannian forces all over were pulling back so if nothing else the voice had likely made good on it's threat to kill the prince.

So with how they were acting he had mostly ignored those with him. They were doing the same for him as despite having been a police detective before the invasion few people really respected him for that from his experience. There was an undercurrent of feeling within most of the resistance factions that the police and army should have fought longer and harder during the invasion, rather than surrendering or disappearing like they were ordered. So these three were likely to ignore anything that he advised out of hand, something that only a few like Oghi wouldn't do to his knowledge.

He however was not a Police Detective for nothing though, he was young when he had been promoted and he had earned his rise through blood and skill. He had been putting those skills to use now, paying close attention to the station and the vehicles in front of it. He had noticed something important in the last few minutes. There was nothing there. No movement. No noise. No signs of people being present at all.

Shooting one last look at the other that were still arguing behind him he stood up and vaulted over the small wall of rubble in front of them and started making his way towards the station. Despite how much faith he had in his deductions and observations he couldn’t help but feel that his stomach was full of molten lead while the pair of shiny mounted light machine guns on top of each of the IFVs seemed to track his movements as he walked forward, but he kept going expecting some Britannian to yell for him to stop at any moment. 

He felt a small amount of triumph as his observations were correct when he made it to the IFVs and nothing had moved. He noticed absently that the other three had stopped arguing and started making their way up as well. Not seeing anything through the glass doors of the station he made his way around the IFVs and was about to climb up one to check inside when he noticed a pile of electronics behind the IFVs.

He froze for a moment before he started moving forward to get a better look at what was in the pile of electronics, while signaling for the other three to get back away just in case it was some kind of bomb. However it did not take long to figure out what most of it was, not that he was a skilled electrician or mechanic. He knew what a GPS system looked like and he remembered what the system looked like vaguely from the academy when it was explained how the vehicles were tracked in case of an emergency. If the ones for the IFVs were destroyed...

He started signalling for the other three to hurry up now as it was clear, it looked like they had a drive ahead of them.

*****G’sG*****

Lelouch smiled to himself as he walked down the 'secure' hallway towards the bridge of Clovis's G1 Base. It had been almost too easy to get inside the transport itself, especially with the diversion he had set up for the Special Engineering Division. In truth he had found it much harder to hide both the Sutherland and C.C. in an abandoned building nearby, only as he did not want to leave C.C. alone while she was unconscious.

The few guards that had stayed at the entrance to the G1 had easily fallen to his Geass, he was left assuming that every competent and suspicious soldier was either dead, lost or injured in the ghetto, trying to fight off the men that were attacking the Lancelot or if they were lucky trying to figure out who had attacked the Lancelot.

With the guards outside the G1 Geassed to shoot anyone other than himself that tried to enter the G1 base itself he figured that he would have enough time to get everything he needed done.

As he reached the entrance to the bridge, he sneered at Prince Clovis’ lack of forethought or security. Not one of the handful of techs or bureaucrats on board the entire transport had even tried to stop him as he did as he pleased, not that it would have mattered if they did.

Deciding that this was one of those moments that was best not left the same, he reached toward the console and quickly cut the energy to the bridge as he swung the door open.

It was put in more drastic perspective as he strode into the bridge, he had to suppress a chuckle at the chaos that simply cutting the power had reduced those present to, it was worse than when he had left the Black Knights during the battle of Tokyo in the first Black Rebellion. It was rather pathetic and became even more so when, just like the last time, everyone turned to look at him as soon as he walked through the door.

"All of you are to go wait in the hallway for my further instructions," he commanded, and he couldn't help but wonder with as fast as they were leaving if any of them actually wanted to be present on the bridge to begin with, though it could have just been the current situation on the bridge that made them want to flee. Either way it would certainly make his job much easier than just ordering them all to kill themselves, he had been so stupidly dramatic during his first battle.

A confused and worried Clovis was stuck staring as his men fled from their posts as he barked out, "Bartley! What do you think you are doing? Get back here this instant!"

He quelled the hurt and disgust he knew he would feel again for killing Clovis. The brother who he had once considered a gentle soul had fallen and become this thing before him, twisted by greed and apathy, and this mockery of his brother needed to be permanently removed.

"You have changed so much, Clovis," he muttered sadly. He forced a smirk on his face as he walked forward towards the light from the front windows just enough for the handgun aimed at Clovis' face to be seen.

Clovis spat, "You aren't an eleven are you? Who sent you?"

Lelouch absently noted the fact that since Clovis was so thoroughly beaten he just assumed the one who did so could not be Japanese, "Japan is my home disgraced Prince Clovis. It's people needed me and so I came."

He watched as Clovis' face contorted into something between rage and a grimace, "So you think yourself some kind of savior? Yet you come here, why? What do you want? Money? A Title?"

"Prince Clovis, I command you. You will declare a ceasefire, pulling all of your men back to the settlement, and letting the civilians within the ghetto retreat to safety." As Prince Clovis' eyes glazed over with a purple hue, he couldn't help but sigh.

As Clovis's Geass wore off and the prince became lucid again, he appeared far more frightened and started to scramble back in his throne like chair, "What… What did you do to me? Who are you? Damn it, answer me!"

Forcing the sad smile on his face into a feral grin, he stepped forward into the light pulling his helmet off as he did so, " Did you forget about us again Clovis, just like all those years ago?"

Clovis blanched as he stuttered, "Lelouch… I… D… don't do this… Please."

He had one last thing to say, he wondered what his father would make of it when he talked to Clovis' ghost in the World of C, "There is one thing I wish Clovis, I wish that you were as reprehensible a brother as you are a human being. It would have made this easier."

He took no joy in the confused and desperate mask of emotion on Clovis' face, he did what needed to be done.*Bang*

Lelouch steeled himself as Clovis grabbed at his chest, stepping forward he had things to do. He placed the white bishop he had grabbed earlier on the arm of Clovis' makeshift throne. Then turning around he made his way to the command controls of the G1 and started to go through files. Figuring he had ten or so minutes at most to get everything done he quickly confirmed that Clovis had closed the G1 system not wanting any other part of the military to know what was going on here. Setting up a system copy of all the military operation and personnel files he proceeded to his last task on the bridge. Turning back towards the now dead Prince Clovis he proceeded to take the Prince's decorative sword from his waist. Once he had claimed his trophies and the copy of those files he would deal with the personnel outside then make his way to the next location.

This time Brittannia would never manage to regain its footing in Japan, not truly, not after he was done tonight. 

*****G'sG*****

Sayoko was unused to being confused about the actions of her charges, especially when it came to Master Lelouch. Mistress Nunnally sometimes did things that made one wonder, usually because she wanted to prove that just because she could not use her eyes or legs did not mean she was incapable of doing  _ anything _ . Since she had started taking care of the two Vi Britannia siblings she had noticed that Master Lelouch had always tried to keep all his emotions inside rather then let them show, it was a habit that made him the most unruly child when he was younger as he lacked control, but having been there as he learned to control his emotions Master Lelouch was easier for her to read then most could ever hope to claim. There were a few that could claim to understand him better but they were not many.

Tonight though, she was quite befuddled by what was going on as Master Lelouch had not returned for dinner with his sister as was his norm. Then he had still not turned up by the time Mistress Nunnally went to bed, as such she had tucked the young lady in and spent some time convincing the young lady that her brother was in fact safe. She had promised Mistress Nunnally to stay awake after Nunnally had gone to sleep and wait for Master Lelouch to return. Not that she needed the promise to do so as she would have stayed up regardless, both to make sure of Master Lelouch's safety as well to find out what was so important to the boy that he had worried his sister so.

So she had been surprised when waiting in the shadows watching the entrance to the wing of the Club House that was reserved for the siblings, she saw Master Lelouch attempt to stealthily enter and close the door behind him while he carried an apparently unconscious girl bridal style in his arms while having two large bags each over a shoulder. The only thing that had stopped her from interfering as Master Lelouch struggled under the load he was carrying, had been that the young lady seemed to be in a prisoner's uniform. No matter what this was, this was one of those things she would  _ not _ interfere in; Master Lelouch would have to tell her in the morning if she needed to know as was his want. She would however observe before she retired for the night.

She couldn't help the smile that slid onto her face as she watched Master Lelouch make his way out of his room without the girl or bags and started walking down the hall to Mistress Nunnally's room. As soon as Mistress's door closed behind Master Lelouch however she broke cover and was off.

Creaking open Master Lelouch's door, she took in everything before her as fast as she could. She was only mildly surprised that Master Lelouch had laid the young woman gently down in the bed, even going so far as to tuck the young lady in. However, seeing the young lady's face clearly verified that she was now certain that she had never seen the young lady before.

Nonetheless, the main reason she had entered the room was alleviated at the one sight that only surprised her slightly as she did not see Master Lelouch willingly sleeping there, not that she had worried about him acting dishonorably. Laid out on the floor was what seemed like every extra blanket and pillow that was stored in Master Lelouch's closet in an attempt to make a semblance of a bed. She saw the bags two sitting on Master Lelouch's desk and she was tempted to investigate but she shook her head. She did not go to trespass any more than she already had on Master Lelouch's rooms or actions.

As she made her way down towards the guest room that she commonly used, she wondered what Master Lelouch had managed to get himself into, the boy should know by now that he could tell her things. She had always helped Master Lelouch, and there was no reason that that would ever change. Which made it likely that this had not been planned out beforehand. She pursed her lips at the thought, it was most unlike Master Lelouch to do something that seemed so likely danger without planning his actions out beforehand.

*****G'sG*****

Cécile looked from the report she was writing up for Prince Schneizel about what had happened to the Lancelot today, and shot a glare across the lab at Lloyd as he slowly worked on removing the damaged pieces of the Lancelot leaving her to deal with all the paperwork. It was likely only due to luck that the attack which had looked so damaging at the beginning had not done nearly as much damage as they had feared at the preliminary inspection.

The damage to the body and arm was mostly superficial with most of the damage confined to only the outer armor pieces. However, the Lancelot’s left leg was simply damaged beyond repair and would need to completely be replaced. The only upside to that was they had most of the parts they would need to repair the Knightmare on hand, though they were not the exact same as what was destroyed being the pieces that were slightly inferior to the ones that had been incorporated into the final model.

Still it was unlikely that anyone would be able to notice the roughly .1 microsecond slower that the left leg would now move then the right leg. She would have to work on trajectory editing software for the Lancelot but it should be able to compensate on it's own once the program was finished.

Shaking her head at the thought for fixing the Lancelot she turned back to her report for the Prince. She was honestly stumped as to what she should write. She had detailed the extent of the Lancelot's injuries as well as what would be done to compensate for and fix the damage, but it was everything else she didn't know what to include. She knew she could ask Lloyd but he would likely say it was none of their business and that their report should only be about the Lancelot.

She felt though that the report should include how the Lancelot got damaged as it was never deployed. Though that was where things got confusing. The group that had been attacking the Lancelot had been a part of Prince Clovis' Royal Guard. The Royal Guard had fought to the last man and that was it got even more confusing, as one of them before they died had clearly yelled out, "You are on the wrong side. She will be crowned."

It was only later that they had found out about the death of Prince Clovis, the disappearance of the Bridge crew, and the complete destruction of the entire G1 computer system. She still was not completely sure what had happened there but, how did she write everything in or... Or would it be better to request a private call with Prince Schneizel tomorrow to fully explain what they knew?

Her musings were cut short when the printer next to her went off. She shot a look at the printer before turning to look at the simulator they had set up to test for a possible Lancelot devicer. The simulator currently held a Purist Knightmare Pilot that had been ordered to give up her Sutherland by the Royal Guard, likely the same Royal Guard that had attacked the Lancelot, and while returning to base had been near during the attack and assisted in killing the rouge Royal Guard members to defend the Lancelot. It was only after the attack was stopped that Lloyd, while listening to her story, had looked up her Knightmare efficiency ratings. An 80% in a Sutherland was not amazing but it was better than most of the choices they had so Lloyd had first offered to cajoled her into at least trying out the Lancelot simulator.

She grabbed the papers as they printed going over the data and sadly realized that she might be the best test pilot they have access to, a 61% was not as amazing as Lloyd wanted but it was the best they had gotten so far. The final decision though would be up to Lloyd of course.

*****G'sG*****

Lelouch slowly pushed open the door to Nunnally's room, all the need and desire up till this point had fled him and now all he felt was trepidation as he and to force himself to push open the door. The vivid memory of losing her, the anguish that losing her had caused him, and the ever present fear of what she would think of him if she found out what he had and would again become warred inside him.

Though all of that disappeared as soon as the door opened and there in front of him, messily sprawled out on her bed as if trying to take up all the queen size mattress with her tiny body, was his sweet innocent sister. His sweet, innocent baby sister, sleeping peacefully, ignorant of everything he would do again, for her and for the world. He had not been able to speak to his baby sister for over a year now… She was the most important person in his life, he had seen her vanish in the explosion of a FREIJA not long enough ago for the pain to have faded even slightly. He made a promise to himself then and there as he stood in the entrance of his sister's room, that he would do everything in his power to make sure he controlled that problem. He would deal with Nina tomorrow though he was unsure of how he would yet. She might have made it first but others would make them as well that was certain. 

Closing the door softly behind him, he walked towards the head of his sister's bed. He had missed her so much, he had tried to take her back multiple times only to be foiled every time by Suzaku, and then she had been taken away from him by Suzaku when he had almost freed her. Now with her back in front of him alive, happy, his feet felt like lead as he dragged himself forward. His heart was hammering in his chest when he reached her headboard, so much so that he was surprised with how sensitive her hearing was that she didn't hear it and wake up.

He gently traced her cheek and ran his hand through her hair, marveling that out of everything that had happened so far since he returned, the knowledge of everything he could change, this was by far the most magnificent. This was the part that by itself meant the most to him, and made him truly thankful to the world of C's God. He smiled and ignored the tears that formed in his eyes as he bent down and kissed his sister's cheek before turning and walking for the door.

He thought of the Sutherland he had hidden under the school at this very moment in a sealed security exit, of C.C, only two rooms down -still unconscious- and curled on his bed, the missions he gave the command staff of the G1, all the supplies and armaments he had managed to get to Oghi's group, all the information and equipment that he had sealed away in the bags he brought home, and how he was going to have to explain everything to Sayoko in the morning as he needed her on his side from the start this time. As those thoughts competed in his mind, as he exited the room murmured, "It will be different this time. You will get your gentler world, Nunnally. I promise!"

Distracted Lelouch didn't notice Nunnally's hand grip her blanket tightly as he spoke.

*****G'sG*****

Margrave Jeremiah Gottwald did not know what he should even be doing at this point. Casting one last longing look at the special cabinet near his desk he turned back to Mariah, and Kewell. He could not help wishing that Villetta had not gotten herself mixed up with the Special Engineering as now they were likely to lose her, though this was likely the best time to abandon ship so to speak. Collecting himself he asked, “What do we actually know about what happened out there?”

He had to ask because from what they had as preliminary numbers they had almost a hundred and fifty personnel dead, dozens of Sutherlands, tanks, and VTOLs all destroyed, and at least four hundred missing in action. His two present subordinated shared a look before Kewell gave a defeated shrug, “Honestly I have no idea. In the beginning it seemed like the normal terrorist eleven trash we have to clean up occasionally. Then it just wasn’t. They were everywhere and armed well, they had Sutherland Knightmares they had RPGs, they knew where we were, and preliminary reports from the army Unit that is clearing everything has confirmed that the elevens were armed with standard issue Britannian equipment. Though no one has any idea how they got it. Though with the Britannians that attacked us we might have to assume treason and they used the elevens to cover their real actions placing the elevens to take the fall for killing the Prince."

He could not suppress the flinch that passed through him at  _ that _ reminder. It brought up things he had tried to bury these past few years.

First the base had been attacked by a full squad of Prince Clovis' Royal Guard. They had been hell bent on destroying the Earl's special Kinghtmare. They had managed to only do some damage, but enough to put it offline for a while. The only reason that anything was left at all was because Villetta had been nearby and had rallied a few of the Guards and Soldiers in that section of camp to kill those attacking Britannian forces. The fact that they were Clovis' Royal guard made everything more murky and confusing. The fact that they had all died, some even killing each other or themselves to make sure they were not captured made it all the more worrying. Though not as unnerving as the reports from both the Earl as well as Villetta stated that those Royal Guardsman had been saying something to the effect of, "she will be crowned" while they were attacking. What 'she' could be crowned that would want to hurt Prince Schneizel or Prince Clovis?

No he would not even entertain that thought especially not with what happened on the bridge of the G1, the last thing the Empire needed was another time of blood. The attack on the G1 had been much worse than some damage to Prince Schneizel's little toy. Almost all of the bridge staff was dead with only General Bradley missing in action and two Officers in critical condition, one so bad he didn't even make it to the ambulance, the other was in the military hospital just north of the consulate. On top of that the Prince was dead butchered, behind their lines, within the G1, surrounded at the time by his officers. Again there was another Royal dead on his watch. That was number 4 for him now…

Shaking his head he looked pointedly at his subordinates, “Kewell you were the one that found the two survivors. I need you to be honest, what you wrote in this report, how much faith would you put in this man’s words?”

Kewell actually seemed uncomfortable at the direct question, “Well honestly… I really don’t know. While he seemed kind of out of it, barely lucid, he was determined to warn someone, anyone really about what he said he heard. So I mean he believed what he told me, if it happened or was just a trick I don't know.”

Rubbing the brim of his nose he addressed Kewell first, “Kewell, please go through the proper channels to request Prince Schneizel’s presence in Area 11. Tell him about the damage to his experimental Knightmare, what we know of the damages source, and anything else you need to tell him to get him here, just do not tell him about what was said about the attack on the bridge. This is way above us. This... This is something we need a Royal to investigate.”

Trailing off he looked down at the only statement Kewell could get out of the surviving officer as they carted him off, “They said that Prince Clovis was too unfit and his younger brother was a better choice. They were just getting rid of the unnecessary competition.” 

A shiver ran down his spine as he heard the words in his head, like someone had tread across his grave. As Kewell stood to leave and he turned to Mariah to tell her what to do the door to his office burst open.

*****G'sG*****

Charles glared out into the void that was the World of C as it stretched out before him. How had someone that was as imbecilic as his son Prince Clovis managed to hide the fact that he was running tests on C.C. from him of all people? Clearly his unlamented dead son had help but who? The only person that had that kind of power was his brother but how would keeping C.C. under Clovis' control without telling him to help his brother's plans?

Worse even then the fact his brother had assisted his son in keeping C.C. prisoner, that foolish boy of Marianne's had killed Clovis. At first he had been proud of his son for the skill he had shown, even maybe a little interested in thinking about using the boy as his successor once God was killed, but then he had seen the boy kill his brother showing just how far the boy was willing to go to oppose Britannia and that could not be allowed. Though the boy's comments seemed off, he expected more rage, more demands about his mother in fact his comments seemed peculiar. Maybe it was some Japanese cultural influence on the boy, it didn't matter in the end.

It was troublesome that the boy had not only acquired Geass, but clearly had the brains needed to make the most out of his power. Clovis dead, video evidence of Clovis' ordering the extermination of a Ghetto, The 'fact' that Britannia was working on chemical weapons now known globally due to the boys interference, Schneizel's pet project attacked, the Baron of Tokyo, a foolish minion of Cornelia's, and his family dead or captured by Clovis' forces due to the boy, and the chaos that now reigned at Clovis' secret base due to the boy's control of General Bartley. If he did not get involved there would likely be panic over most of Area 11 and he needed that Thought elevator under his secure control. 

It truly was a pity the boy was so resourceful and a skilled strategist on top of the dangerous Geass he possessed. No, he would not be defeated by this boy, this was an annoyance at best, if it was not for the entrance to the Thought Elevator hidden in Area 11 he would not even care.

He mused to himself about how to deal with the boy. Even if he wished too, he could not just have the boy simply killed by the OSI. That would not do, Marianne was very particular about her children, and he did not want to upset her needlessly. He knew she would agree that the mission came first and that if they needed the boy would have to die, but she would want every other avenue exhausted first. In fact it was likely when he told her of her son's exploits she would be overjoyed with his accomplishments.

He would need to send one of his children to deal with the problem. His usual choice Schneizel would not do in this case however. That boy was already causing too many problems that could actually hurt the plan if left unchecked; though he could probably wrap up the situation quickly despite how skilled the boy was. Besides, the last thing Schneizel needed at this point was to find out about was the existence of Geass.

He ignored most of the rest of the children. He needed someone that could think and command men in battle, and far too many of them were useless.

His thoughts caught on an old memory from Ares Villa years ago, Cornelia, the boy used to look up to her like the boy did his mother. She could manage it. Then the boy's words to Clovis came back to him, and slowly brought a hand to his chin. Would the boy hold Cornelia's actions against her? Would he not hold back because she had done the same as Clovis, many times in fact? The answer was quick, Cornelia and Euphemia together had promise. The foolish boy had always been sweet on his little sisters Nunnally and Euphemia; with her as viceroy, he would be too cautious to actually do anything too overt for fear of hurting her. Cornelia, on the other hand, would not be so limited and she would have no trouble fixing this problem that was the boy.

The only question was did he want the boy brought before him alive or just killed so that he could be dealt with later when the plan was done... Well he had time to decide on that.

*****G'sG*****

Jerking awake with a start and looking around, they realized that they were alive, whole, and they seemed to be in their old bedroom from what felt like years ago. That didn't make sense as they had not slept in this room in almost a year, having been in Japan. What made less sense was that they were alive. They could clearly remember dying the pain, the anguish as he stared at them.

Whatever was going on, they clearly were not supposed to be here of all places. Shaking their head they focused on what was important. Lelouch, Lelouch needed them in Area 11. This time this time they would be of use to Lelouch, they would do better. Maybe then…

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok so I figure I should start with this. I used to have a fanfiction.net account where I had a few stories... Then you know how life is and I just get away from writing. So I had not updated anything in the last few years, and I seemed to have reached a point in my life were I want to start writing again I took them down. I am working on fixing and polishing them up and will then be posting and continuing the stories. 2 Harry potter stories, 1 Code Geass, and 1 A song of fire and ice if anyone is interested in Betaing them.


	3. Hearts

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please Read and Review. Thank you. Remember I own nothing of the Code Geass universe. 

Chapter 2: Hearts

Ohgi sat quietly at the remains of a table they had found when setting up base in the ruined warehouse just outside of Shinjuku, or at least the remains of Shinjuku and the Britannian Soldiers that patrolled the ruins. Everything that had happened in the past twenty four hours was racing through his mind, and they did not paint a pretty picture. In fact if the Mysterious person that saved them in Shinjuku had not appeared when he did they and all the refugees they had managed to save with the voices help would likely all be dead.

The problems had arisen from the onset of their operation if he was honest. They had not known when the gas was going to be loaded onto the truck and they had to wait around, something that they could not maintain their cover well. In the end they managed to get the truck once it was loaded but by then they already had to much attention and no sooner had they left then they were being pursuit. They had been ready for pursuit that's why they had Kallen and the Glascow but they were not prepared to be chased from the onset.

Then they had gotten bogged down in Shinjuku, the last place they wanted to have a firefight, when the truck had crashed in the old subway tunnels they planned to use so they could escape. Then what had simple been 'gone wrong' became 'went to shit' they were sitting ducks and the Britannians butchered every Japanese individual in Shinjuku. Until they started getting communication transmissions, at first they had ignored them , but the man giving them instructions had quickly proven to be telling the truth as well as giving good instructions to help save people.

Then the voice had most of them abandon what they were doing and head towards Kallen, a few had not agreed with leaving so few to handle the evacuation but they had gone along with most of the group. That was when things had appeared to turn around. They had found Sutherland Knightmares, power cells, ammo and equipment, most of which they still had even after the fighting. Even if they were down to only having nine of the twelve Sutherland left, that was more then any other resistance cell they knew of. From then on it felt like they had the Britannians on the ropes as they did as the voice said, they even managed to force a general retreat. For the most part they had then fallen into assisting with the evacuation.

It was only later after that feeling of victory that they found out the two worst things. Shinjuku might not have been what it once was, but there had been a large number of Japanese that made it their home. Jobs available, people farming some of the land, and because they were repairing homes and building for community usage, were all things that had brought in more people to Shinjuku making it a larger Japanese community then most parts of the Ghettos. Now though that was gone. Shinjuku had housed almost seven thousand Japanese less then two thousand had escaped the Britannian massacre even with there help. Which only enhanced the fact that Shinjuku was no more. They and the now refugees would not be able to return to living there without risking death to the Britannian forces combing the area. Which left them and the other refugees without much in the way of food, clothes, shelter... Some had family or friends that would take them in for a while at least, but even if he factored in the large number of refugees that wanted to join up with them due to what they did in Shinjuku that left almost half of those that survived Shinjuku with no were to go. Not to mention they were adrift as well, he found it unlikely that anyone would say no to having them join but they would expect them to do what happened in Shinjuku again and he could not give that to them.

Then to kick them when they were down, he had sent a few people back to try and locate the truck and bring it back only for it to appear that the entire operation was a complete disaster. The machine that was suppose to be holding the poison gas canister was empty. So either the Britannians had managed to get the canister back or there was never a canister to begin with. It had been Minami that had suggested a far more problematic opinion of what might have happened, based on what they had found with the truck. ********** was dead, he had been injured both before and during the crash but what killed him was small arms fire to the back of his head. Minami pointed out that the canister machine could fit a person, and a Britannian soldier could easily have hidden in there till the truck went underground having been intended to spy on where they went.

It was almost as chilling as the voice knowing their names. The memory of every time the voice directly addressed Kallen in particular sent a shiver down his spine at the thought.

Ever since they had lost Naoto he had been looking out for her. He knew he could never replace her older brother, and he would never want to try and replace Naoto, but the girl had no one in her life to turn to with her brother dead, father off in Britannia trying to overcome his shame, and a mother that had become her husbands new wife's servant. No he had stepped up when he was needed and while he had only known her as Naoto's younger sister before Naoto's death, they had bonded in their grief, and he truly cared about the younger girl now as if she was his own younger sister. The fact that her life was now in the hands of someone he did not know terrified him, even worse she was out there in the settlement and none of them could help her if something happened.

He tried to convince himself that everything was ok because this voice was on their side, and he had helped them drive back the Britannians. He could not rid himself of the fear though, as even if this unknown voice was not against them, the voice now owned them completely. If he told them to do something and they refused all he had to do was contact the Britannians and there was nothing they could do to stop him from taking Kallen and hunting them by name and face rather then just as an unnamed group of Japanese.

Trying to push that depressing idea out of his mind he went back to what he had been doing before he started drinking. Looking at the diagrams before him, he was trying to come up with escape routes for Kallen if something happened because of this Zero character. He knew he should be focusing more on the refugees but he had told Inoue and Minami to do that and well this was more important to him. It was hard to work on though, as so many of the situations revolved around escaping while she was at Ashford Academy, a place that was a distinctly sore subject with him.

He tried to stop his mind from wandering but like it always did when Ashford came up he could help but think that it was not fair that there was schools like that for the Britannians but the Japanese people were no longer allowed to have or run schools. His life ambition to teach had been destroyed when those damn Britannians attacked and he could not help but feel that kernel of resentment every time Kallen went back to school. She knew and she never spoke about it with him wishing he could teach as well, but that did not erase the resentment that he felt whenever he thought of it.

Those days were gone however. There would be no more teaching in his future, now that he was the leader of a rebel militia, a force, albeit a measly one until today, but never the less a force that was willing to stand against the tyranny of Britannians.

Now that this voice was on the scene though, he couldn't help but wonder if he was even needed as that anymore…

****G's G****

Kallen looked into the mirror to see if there was anything she needed to do for makeup after she got dressed, as she was slowly getting ready for school. She had to suppress a snort at what she saw in the reflection, because she would not be needing any makeup to act her part today. The shadows under her red and glassy eyes as well as the pale color and drained look she knew she would not be able to shake off would do wonders for the image she wore as she pretended to be a chronically sick invalid.

Saying that she was ill and even managing to get a doctor to give her a diagnosis as ill had been the best way to excuse her frequent absences to the Ghetto to work with Oghi and the resistance that anyone could think of at the time. That however did not stop her from hating the 'disguise' she had to wear while she was at Ashford Academy. She hated looking weak, especially to stupid puffed up Britannians, and it only got worse when she had to socialize with her 'fellow' Britannian schoolgirls. They were all just so privileged, nothing but petty teenage girls that would fall apart at something like a chipped nail.

She could barely stand to be around them, but the option of leaving her education behind was not something that she could stand to think about doing let alone something she could choose to do. She could still remember her brother bragging to Oghi when she was younger about how good she was doing in her classes. Sure, she knew Naoto had only bragged to Oghi because Oghi was a teacher back then, but still her brother had been proud of her because of how well she had been doing with her grades, so she could never abandon going to class, not unless there were no other options for her survival.

Naoto and Oghi were the only reasons she stayed at Ashford, putting up with all of the stupid privileged Britannians, and when she finally got to escape back to the ghetto she had to face the hurt looks on Oghi's face at where she had been. She knew not to talk about that though…

Now however, with the Voice knowing who she was this was the first time she might actually have to flee at at a moments notice. Someone out there knew who she was, and not just that she was a part of the resistance but which group she belonged to and what she did for the resistance. As she finished straightening her uniform tie, she scanned the top of her dresser until she found the last thing she needed to truly be ready for school, especially now. Snatching up her clutch that her brother had gotten her she squeezed the center of it gently, just enough for the blade to pop out the 'front'. She sighed in relief, the blade wouldn't really do much to help or defend her but never the less it made her feel safe.

Looking in the mirror once more now that she was dressed and ready to face the brats at Ashford again she grabbed her bag and headed for the door. As she closed the door to her room softly behind her, she tried to think of the quickest way through the Mansion to get to the kitchen and then out of the house while still avoiding both her mother and stepmother. before she had a concrete plan she started scowling as she heard someone walking in her direction, and then she realized that this was just not going to be her day.

****G's G****

C.C. could see the light of the sun shining through the window even with her eyes closed as she started to slowly regain her consciousness. It had been a long and exhausting night for her emotionally at least, as she had spent most of it deep within her own subconscious working through all the memories she had acquired from Lelouch when she had touched his mind and given him Geass.

The most important event she had observed had been at the end of Lelouch's 'last life' as she had termed it. The confrontation between Lelouch and his parents had been informative to hear, even if she did not want to hear what was said. She had always known what the world would become after The Sword of Akasha killed God, but she had convinced herself it would be different then what she experienced. She knew though when confronted by it that Lelouch had been right in his assessment of what would happen even given his limited knowledge of Geass and the world of C. She knew more then him though and she knew that she was still a part of the world of C. She would not have died til after God was slain, so while all those that had died before God was slain would have been destroyed, she would have been left to linger again. During all her introspection about the event she witnessed though the part she was most concerned about what the lie, She knew that Marianne and Charles would do anything to reach their goal but she knew that they were aware destroying God would destroy all those that had died before, so there was something about how they used the lie about Nunnally and Euphemia coming back against Lelouch that made her uncomfortable.

She was sure that her feeling on such situations had nothing to do with how Lelouch had treated her with kindness, even when her mind had abandoned her. It it surely had nothing to do with the multiple time she had felt his desire for her during their two years off and on living together.

However on that note, that boy infuriating, she could feel all of the attraction he felt for her. As well as Kallen… and Shirley… and even Milly to some extent, those emotional connection that while she realized were harder to deal with then she expected, they were emotions that she could easily deal with, but along with that love and attraction had been Lelouch's well hidden hormonal teenage lust. It had been rather hard to categorize those memories while trying to shut the feeling off,not that she had not done things with woman before, Marianne coming to mind quite readily at the thought. It was that besides some slight teasing of Kallen she had not even noticed them the first time through from what she could tell of Lelouch's memories. Though she had gotten a good laugh at Kaguya declaring herself, C.C. and Kallen as Zero's Harem.

More pressingly though the boy had messed with her in ways she would never forget even if he had not known his memories would do so, and now he was waking her up early. Slowly she turned away from the light snuggling deeper into the soft bed.

It was as she turned that she heard his voice, and it was quickly followed by the soft sound of footsteps coming closer, "Selene you're awake, I was worried about you."

The sincere worry that filled his voice filled her with joy in a twisted way. The idea he truly cared for her, that he worried about her, that he could fulfill her true deepest wish just as her Geass had, made her take the time to think out what to say and not just snarl something back at him.

Turning slowly to see him she cracked an eye open trying to not look directly at the light streaming into the room, but at Lelouch's face, or at least see his face well enough to gauge his reaction to her. However, as poor luck would have it Lelouch was standing directly in front of where the sunlight coming in through the window, leaving his face almost impossible to read in the shadow cast by his head. Slowly enunciating everything to show that she was not pleased with him right now, "It is far too early to be awake boy."

Instantly emotions gripped her heart and she kne that she had given something away in a way some kind of clue that she didn't really understand, as Lelouch responded to her remark with a whole body flinch. Searching what little of his face she could see to try and pick up some clue as to his thought, she was shocked when he asked in a small voice, "You don't remember?"

Giving up on going back to sleep, which was likely a lost cause until Lelouch went to school at least with the attention he was paying her, she sighed, "No. I have no memory of anything that happened." She felt in a twisted way elated as Lelouch's face fell, elated that is that she meant so much to him that her not remembering bothered him. Deciding to continue before he really despaired at that, "While I may not have my memories I have lived through your recollection of events, so I believe myself sufficiently informed."

Pausing to give him a pointed glare as she pushed herself up to a sitting position, "I saw everything from your perspective, battles, feelings, people." She noted that he had no idea the entirety of what she meant, or at least his face was too full of concern and relief to have picked up on what she meant.

She felt her mouth go dry as he sat on the bed and grabbed her hand in his, "I'm sorry, so very sorry for what happened to you Selene. I promise this time it will all be better, this time I will. I hope… I hope that even without your memories, you will believe me when I promise you that this time… This time I will make time so that you have your own happy memories to remember."

She wanted to hit him, she knew he had no idea as to the effect of what he said to her just now after seeing his memories and emotions, what that offer truly meant to her. Deciding to ignore it, as it would not do for him to see her acting sappy right now, "And just how are you going to go about making this time different?"

Her stomach did all sorts of odd flip-flops as he gently squeezed her hand before answering, "This time as I said I will focus on what needs to be done. Cornelia, Suzaku, The Black Knights… They were all enemies of my own making in the end. Raised from the lies, pain and death I had created to come and smite me in revenge. No, this time I will proceed without that hatred I carried around for years, I will make the world better."

He smiled wanly at her, and when he smiled she could see just how much more relaxed he was then she had seen him at any point in his memories, like the weight of the world had been taken from him. Getting up he walked towards the window as he continued, "I intend to be more open this time. So much could have been prevented…"

She continued to watch him curiously as his voice broke even when he sounded so full of hope. He turned to look at her and his eyes shone with such intensity she was glad she was already sitting with how weak in the knees she went at the sight of him. "They won't die this time. None of them will, I swear it."

She tilted her head to the side as she spoke worry creeping into her voice, "That's a very bold statement to promise boy. How can you be sure that you will always be able to protect everyone?"

The intensity of his voice matched his eyes as he scowled, "I can't let them die, I won't. None of them will die this time; I can't let it happen My Witch; I can't."

She couldn't help the chill that ran down her back at those words. As she eyed the boy critically, an urge fueled by memories not her own filled her. Deliberately getting out of bed, her eyes never leaving Lelouch's face she wrapped her arms around the boy pulling him into what she hoped was as comforting a hug to him as it was to her.

Lelouch folded around her, enveloping her with his own slender frame. It was intoxicating this feeling, she knew even with all her years she could never describe how it felt properly.

He whispered, his breath tracing across her ear, doing things she again wished he understood he was doing to her, "I can't lose them. I need to save them. I can do it this time; I learned every lesson that I needed to learn from my failures."

She couldn't say it even though she wished to, knowing there was one lesson that he would need to learn now, after what had happened in the World of C. Then she was distracted by what she saw on his computer screen from over his shoulder.

Her gasp had Lelouch jerk back, but when he caught sight of her eyes he chuckled, "Yes. I was planning to make it a surprise for you. I had already started working on getting what I need for as Zero and I thought…"

She cut him off, the poor boy had done something sweet and was about to put his foot in his mouth as while he was a genius, she had seen he did every time he was alone with a cute girl last time. Thinking about how caring it was he bought her Cheese-kun plushie she put Lelouch's lips to a far better purpose than talking.

****G’s G****

Jeremiah sighed as he sank down deeper into his chair and tried to think of anything he could do after the last twenty four hours. It was if Fate was mocking him. No sooner then he had finally turned his life around, and was one of the leading commanders under one of the few siblings that had loved his prince and princess and been welcomed wholeheartedly by his Empress then it all was taken away from him again. Leaving him with a mess, no idea what to do, and another Royal that was under his care dead. The only saving grace was that it was this time he could launch his own investigation into what happened. This time the fact that someone assassinated one of Royal blood behind locked doors in a secure location would not be ignored, he would make sure of that.

He had already tasked every skilled investigate he could get his hands on to go over every inch of the G1 until they found something. Not that he could claim he managed to acquire all that many. As soon as the news started to spread about Prince Clovis' death everyone had started putting distance between them and the Purist organization; the military forces he ordered to assist them claimed that they needed to confirm things with their Mainland superiors, the Police Forces that he order to investigate for the most part stated they reported to different nobles and would need their leave to investigate, and to make things even worse almost no Noble would interact with them at this point after what happened.

When he had been debriefing with two of his three remaining commanders they had been interrupted with even worse news. An entire unit of Mechanized infantry that had been listed as M.I.A. had just shown up at the Consulate military compound claiming that they had completed their orders from Prince Clovis and the prisoners were ready for processing. He had for a moment been confused before dread started to sink in, he at least believed that Prince Clovis' Royal Guard had been infiltrated and now someone seemed to have been giving orders that he had no idea about in Prince Clovis' name. No this had to be a set up.

It had been even worse then a set up,a group of Mechanized infantry from the Purist ranks had attacked the private villa of Count Calarais and is family killing all the guard the Count his wife and most of the staff only the children had been spared with the Unit's Captain that was only because the children had done as told and not resisted or attempted to run like their mother.

It was a nightmare. He had set the task of dealing with the children and trying to assure the Nobles that they had no part in this to Kewell and he had reluctantly taken the task. Though Kewell had told him that they could use this to condense Area 11's control under the Purists now that the Noble that would have been first in line for interim viceroy was dead. That advice had been easy to ignore, the last thing the purist should be doing at this point would be taking control, it already looked like they had planned all this to stage a coupe, no reason to give people 'proof'.

It was after that situation had been 'dealt with' that he got the news the truck had disappeared from it's last known location. He had halfheartedly ordered men to try and track it down but he didn't have much hope that they would find what they were looking for. If the terrorists managed to get their truck then they would likely never find it in those tunnels, and if the OSI found it then they would start a investigation into Prince Clovis and honestly he did not know which would be worse right now. While the terrorist would use the gas probably killing thousands of Britannians, but if people found out that the OSI was investigating Prince Clovis then everything would fall apart. The entire Area would dissolve into chaos, in the who knew how many people would die due to the chaos. He knew most Nobles and the entire Military would stand out not wanting to do anything that might make them look bad so they would sit back and watch as the area burned.

He couldn't help but compare it to all those years ago. Once the Emperor had declared the investigation into Empress Marianne's death closed everyone took a step back and watched as the Prince and the Princess were destroyed, even he himself had done nothing to afraid of what would happen if he got more involved at the time. He like all the other Guards grew to regret those choices, when the reason for the war came down.

He shook his head in refusal to let those thoughts take over again. It was not the time to wallow in self pity and misery, now was the time to do something. He jumped a bit in his seat when his desk phone started to ring only pausing a moment to answer it.

"Lord Jeremiah, The officer you asked to speak to just arrived he is on his way up to see you now."

He felt himself tense at the warning from the Purist he stationed at the entrance to the consulate. With a quick affirmative and order for him to report back to his squad he readied himself for what was about to come. With what had happened this morning and the lack of help from Nobles and the Military he only had one group he could ask for help. Though he did not actually expect them to help him in investigating anything he at least hope when he told them what had happened they would look into it themselves. He knew they had already reassigned one of the mechanized infantry men from last nights debacle likely to prove if what the mechanized infantry unit claimed was true. This morning though was different, there was no one around to ask questions that they knew about.

It had only been an three or four ago when they had reports of a roaring blaze at an office building in the middle of the settlement of Tokyo burning so hot nearby locations had to be abandoned. Though it had been worse when the firefighters got inside and the consulate had been immediately notified of what had been found. A military lab hidden in the middle of Tokyo under layers of the stabilization flooring that they knew nothing about,burned to the ground they had fought back the blaze but the base had burned up from a location about three layers down. They didn't know if the location was stable anymore even. The only thing they did know was where the fire started, that it was started by sakuradite, and that the last confirmed person to enter the location from the street level based on the security cameras across the street was General Bartley.

That was the limit of what they knew though. After he entered the building they never see Bartley again, though now they knew that meant little. The base once you got down to the third level was a network of activity, connecting to the underground transport paths in five locations and from what security was able to bring up at at least a dozen trucks had left the facility after Bartley had entered. Which was unusual as most of their records show maybe one or two a week leaving that area. They needed to know what had happened. They needed to know if Bartley had gone rogue. They needed to know if there was any truth to those claims about the Princess being involved, he made a mental note to ask Kewell to get him that report as soon as possible.

Far to quickly there was a knock on his door, and without waiting for him to say anything a uniformed man in his forties entered. He stood up and snapped to attention causing the man to chuckle, "Sit down Margrave. You requested to meet? It seems that the rumors have less truth to them then normal. No one even with just rumors of attempted regicide being spread about them, would ever willing invite the OSI into their confidence."

**** G's G****

He couldn't believe his fucking luck. It had almost been time to clock out when some damn big wig brass had shown up and demanded that he and a bunch of other all head out via different routes with trucks full of random shit. Some had machinery, some medicine, some even had surplus weapons, and he had the shittiest job of moving that messed up Knightmare they were working on. Looked at the walls he was driving between and could not help but feel unnerved with were he was driving, something that only made him angrier. He had been working as a truck driver for the military for almost twenty years and for the former Prince Clovis’s special research project for the last five. He had never had to drive beneath Tokyo's god damn gridwork before though, hell he even had to leave the settlement and come back using old train tunnels to get down here.

Best he could figure was that a complete evacuation of the entire lab had been called for, the why was still a bit sketchy and no one would talk about it. He knew one researcher had started asking too many questions and had been shot on the spot. Hell the project leaders had pulled out every eighteen wheelers to get basically everything out in one go. He was not sure where all the experimental explosives were but that wasn't his problem he knew he didn't have them. 

He looked at his instructions and slowed down to a crawl making sure he could stop where he was suppose to stop the truck. According to the map there was one off shot tunnel to the left but he would never make a turn in this confined of a hallway so as soon as he stopped he popped out of his cab to see what they had for offloading. They were going to need something like a monster sized jack or some such machine, to move that Knightmare as it was huge. Turning the corner he instantly focused on the two lavender orbs right in front of him barely noticing the person they were attached too as they flashed red...

**** G's G****

Sayoko busied herself with getting breakfast ready for Master Lelouch and Mistress Nunnally before started getting ready for the school day. She was desperately hoping that Master Lelouch would not disappoint the Young Mistress again by missing another meal, as she had seen him sneak out this morning by himself. She had been tempted to follow him, but she had just started getting things ready and she had to stay on schedule for Nunnally, the young mistress would not be able to get herself ready even if she knew that the young mistress would try to get ready if she was not there. It would however be interesting to see the young mistress’ reaction if the young master returned in time and brought the girl that spent the night down to breakfast with him.

Smiling slightly as she reached for the eggs, she heard the door to the wing closing and the young master walking down the hall though she heard him stop at the door to the kitchen. The light tread was easily identified as Master Lelouch walking normally, in a way he was more discreet walking that way, more quiet and lessnoticeable due to how often she was used to hearing that same sound, then he was when he tried to hide his passage like he had the night before.

Turning back to the stove with the eggs in her hands she asked, "Good Morning Master Lelouch, will you be joining Mistress Nunnally for breakfast this morning?"

"Yes I will be Sayoko. Though a simple breakfast would be best this morning, nothing too heavy."

There was a pause and the young master seemed to collect himself, it was so unusual that she was glad she had not cracked any of the eggs yet and was free to turn around. The first thing she noticed when she turned towards him was that the expression on the young master's face, he looked almost nervous... No that wasn't right maybe unsure. It was a different look then any she had seen on him before to her memory, when the young master started talking again it broke her from her thoughts and she noticed that the young master again looked his confident self, "I want to help you get breakfast ready this morning Sayoko. I have something important that I want to talk to you about, and would rather not have Nunnally overhear what I have to say. It's not something that she needs to know about, and you are one of the few I would trust to help me take care of her nowespecially." She took particular interest in the young master's eyes as she listened to the young master talk, they too were different this morning, a difference that again she could never remember seeing in them even when the young master was with his sister. Gone was the cold ice of hatred hidden masking his emotion, instead the young master's eyes were shining with what she could only call hope. The young master's eyes looked like little gems as they sparkled in the light of the rising sun.

"Master Lelouch there is no need to explain to me about your nighttime activities nor about the young Lady you brought home so late last night. It is not my place to interfere with such relationships. I am sure you would not just bring home a random layabout of a woman Young Master."

Keeping her eyes on the young master she failed to keep her lips from curling into a slight smirk at how red the young Master turned, while she was speaking.

"No- What do you-Well yes but I mean…" She couldn't have stopped the smile that found it's way onto her face if she had wanted to, as the young master sputtered trying to reply. She clearly had caught him by surprise, and she was pleased to see the young master acting his age for once. It brought back memories of teasing her younger brother years ago.

Another odd look of relieved annoyance passed over the young master’s face as he worked to collect himself, finally he spoke after he stepped forward and took thecarton of eggs from her hands and placed it next to the oven, before then speaking as he turned off the stove looking away from her, "I meant to start this morning with thanking you for taking care of and protecting me and my sister, before I got into what I needed to talk to you about. I think though that I must also thank you for so much more."

She watched in confusion as he turned to face her fully, and noticed that his face was full of relieved gratitude without the hint of annoyance heusually showed when someone took pity on him as he would usually take concern as, "Thank you for everything you have done for both me and my sister Sayoko. We would never have made it this far without your help. You never simply looked after us or tried to keep us safe, you took two damaged children and did everything you could to make us feel like we still had someone that was there for us. Something neither of us had felt since our mother... That is what makes what I needed to talk to you about this morning both so much more difficult and simpler to tell you at the same time."

Her interest peaked at that confession, while she knew that she had looked out for them much in the way that the young master had described she had not thought he would see anything in it past her doing her job. It seemed that she had underestimated the young master's view of her, she kept her peace for now however and waited for him to continue, taking keen interest in the traces of vulnerability that the normally impervious young master was showing her freely, "Yesterday I wound up in Shinjuku Ghetto through a series of unfortunate events while returning to school with Rivalz. That was where it happened again. I witnessed the slaughter of the Japanese for the second time, again order by a member of my family, this time by my brother Clovis.”

She pushed down her concern for those caught in whatever fighting the young master was talking about, right now they were not important to her. The young master though she noticed his hands were clenched into fists so tight his nails had actually cut the skin of his palms and she could see tiny streams of blood starting to drop from his knuckles. Without thinking about it she stepped closer to the young master and placed her hand gently on his shoulder. The young master took a deep breath and his hand relaxed just so slightly as he looked up, his eyes were hard but not cold like they had been for years, instead they now burned with an inner fire as he declared, “I have finally taken my stand Sayoko, and now more then ever when I arrived at Ashford all those years ago I need your help. I could not let another massacre of the Japanese happen. I couldn’t do anything the first time but I would be damned if I did not try to save everyone I could now. The girl in my room, Clovis had taken her as a prisoner at some point in the last few years; he tortured her in ways that I will not speak about. That's why I need you to look after and take care of them both. I need you to take care of Nunnally..."

The look on his face as he trailed off staring at the floor, and how unsure he sounded had confused her for a moment before she mentally went over what he actually said and realized the truesignificant of everything he had just told her. That the young master thought of her as the one that had raised them for the last seven years. A length of time that was almost the same amount of time he spent being raised by his mother, and the memories of her would be fresher and not associated with the pain of deathlike those of the young master's mother. With that revelation came another, she had heard about the fighting in Shinjuku yesterday, and there was whispers she had heard about Britannia being defeated by a group of terrorists. From his own admission it would mean that Master Lelouch was the one behind it, having done so to save the Japanese, and he was coming to her for help. Well she though, that wasn't completely correct. While the young masterdefinitely wished to make sure she knew what was going on and that she would help him, it also felt like he was coming to her for assurance and understanding, like one would expect a young unsure child looking for help from an older family member. She could not count the number of times she had seen the young mistress do the same thing with the young master, and she could remember a time were her younger brother did as well.

"Master Lelouch." She stopped when she felt him stiffen slightly at her words. She took her hand off his shoulder and moved it so she was cupping the young master's chin, tilting it so he was looking her in the eye rather than on the floor, "I was hired years ago by the Ashford family to protect both you and your sister. It was as those years passed that I came to realize that while you needed someone to look after both of you, I needed to look after you as well."

She stopped talking and swallowed back the lump in her throat, “I had a younger brother before the invasion and he… He refused to back down when the ceasefire came through.”

She smiled faintly at the memory of her brother, before the young master spoke, "Sayoko?" When he stopped himself she waited for him to collect his thoughts before he looked up again and the first thing she noticed was that the fire was gone from his eyes and it had been replaced by a look pain that she could not understand, "Sayoko, can you please not call me Master anymore?"

She made sure not to let her confusion at the request show as she smiled as best she could at the young master, "We will see. Now Breakfast?"

She was glad when the young master's gaze cleared a little after that. Between them they cooked breakfast swiftly, as they worked in relative silence. Which was only broken once when Lelouch snorted to cover a laugh when he saw her get out oranges to make fresh orange juice, for some reason. Though the entire time she could only wonder what had happened to change the young man beside her, because that change, though she could see it haunted him, was definitely for the better.

****G's G****

Nunnally could tell that it was her brother that had just entered the Dining room just now so she was confused when she heard plates being placed on the table without Sayoko having entered as well. She wondered if today like usually happened after Lelouch missed something with her he had sent Sayoko home so that they could have time together. She did love that time with Lelouch but Lelouch could not help her all the time which left her floundering sometimes when that happened. More importantly though as much as she loved those days, they were exhausting, spending all day as if she was still a little girl that didn't understand was difficult. She loved her brother but he needed to realize that she had grown up and was not nearly as sheltered as he tried to keep her. Sayoko at least treated her as if she was he age not like Lelouch. Then there was what she had heard him say when he returned last night...

Shaking her head she put some cheer into her voice as she asked, "Big brother is that you? Are you ok? I missed you last night at Diner. I didn't even know you had to leave the Academy for anything? Is miss Sayoko still here? She promised to help teach me the Japanese art of folding paper soon." She couldn't stop the questions when she started.

She plastered a big smiled on her face when he chuckled at her before answering. It was easier then she expected, much less forced, likely because the laughter seemed genuine and lighter then her brother's usual laughter. It seemed like he truly found something she saidamusing not just that he was trying to set her at ease. "I'm perfectly fine Nunnally there is no need for you or Sayoko to worry so about me. Yes I did have to leave theacademy yesterday, something came up that me and Rivalz had to deal with. And yes Sayoko is here, I merely assisted with Breakfast this morning, and she will be joining us for our meal shortly."

She frowned at her brother, she tried to make it a cute pout so he wouldn't question her brief frown but she was unsure of how successful it was. It was usual for when Lelouch was gone for her to worry, but for Sayoko to worry? That was unusual. Never mind the fact that the only time Lelouch and Rivalz left the Academy grounds together was when they went gambling. She fought back the displeasure at Lelouch's choice of earning money. While she knew he had to do something to make money she wished he didn't choose a method that put him at so much risk. It was the last part though that surprised her. While she and Sayoko commonly ate together, as did her and her brother, it was unusual for her brother to eat a meal with Sayoko. She knew that Lelouch did not look down or feel that as an eleven Sayoko was below him, but there had just always been a wall there. She had assumed that Lelouch had resented Sayoko for how Sayoko tried to treat them like family. It was just too many things that were different about Lelouch today, and she needed time to think about these changes. However right now she did not have that luxury as Lelouch would expect her to respond to him, "What was Rivalz driving you off campus for? It's not the day to pick up mymedicine." 

"I may have gone on a trip with Rivalz off campus yesterday and got separated. I had to find my own way back." Lelouch told her, though she could hear a slight catch in his voice when he said he found his own way back. It was oddly different to his normal speech pattern and she really could not place the emotion that went into it.

"Big brother you have to stop going out and playing those games with him. One of these days you are going to get yourself into a terrible mess."

"You know I'm the older sibling right. You don't really need to be giving me life advice you know?" She couldn’t help the smile as he teased her back. Lelouch was always nicer and more open with her then anyone else, even Milly, but this light-heartedness was weird for him. If it was not so out of character for her she would have asked him if he got laid. Though she had to wonder if his sweet innocent sister asked him that would Lelouch have a heart attack? Maybe she would ask Milly, though then again there was not anyone else that Lelouch spent time with that he might entertain sleeping with then Milly so maybe it wouldn't be a good idea. While she knew Shirley and most of the girls at the academy would love to date and sleep with her brother, they just.. Lelouch would not be able to tell them the truth, and even if he was wiling to she would not let him be with someone he would have to spend his life lying to.

"Well big brother if you're the older sibling shouldn't you be the more mature one." She smiled, knowing her brother's face would look like he had been slapped even if she could not see it. She heard a light chuckle from the entrance way to the dining room as Sayoko's voice reached them, "Three place settings young master?"

If Lelouch had not sputtered in response to the question she would have just assumed that he had not told Sayoko she could join them. His reaction to such a simple question though raised others. As her brother sputtered out a stupid explanation about Miss Sayoko joining them to cover the question, such a poor explanation that she likely would not have believed even if she was still a child she was glad she could not open her eyes as she rolled them in exasperation. It was only later as everyone was eating and Lelouch was pouring her a glass of freshly made orange juice that she realized that Milly who always stopped in when Lelouch was out, never checked in on her last night. Well seeing as most of the teachers here ignored her and almost all her classmates did as well, she would have something to fill her time as she tried to figure out the riddle that was the changes in her older brother this morning, and depending maybe a serious conversation with miss Ashford was in order. Either way her thoughts were focused on this and she would ignore what she had overheard Lelouch say last night for now.

****G’s G****

Milly hurried through the crisp morning air as she moved at just shy of a run towards the Student Council building needing to get there before classes would start. She had meant to wake up earlier to check but... it was not her fault her bed was so comfortable she had rolled over after hitting the snooze button. When she had finally woken up at her usual time she had gone into a slight panic and had actually left right after she finished her hair completely ignoring her make up today. Besides Sayoko had stayed with Nunnally and if Lelouch had not arrived home last night she would have called. Not that the fact all footage from the west entrance to the grounds to the clubhouse then all the footage from inside the clubhouse being destroyed was not a dead give away this morning that Lelouch had made it home. 

She felt her worry was justified. When she had gotten the call from Rivalz telling her all about how he had lost Lelouch after a near miss accident had forced a truck to go off the road and Lelouch had gone to see if he could help anyone in the wreck, while Rivalz had seen to his bike that apparently stalled out when he stopped and something happened to the engine. When Rivalz got back she had expected Lelouch to be with him but Rivalz had just said in an annoyed voice that Lelouch had managed to get out of helping him wheel his bike back to campus because he had managed to fall in the truck as it drove away.

RIvalz, had the nerve to laugh at her concern. It was moments like that which made her hate the fact that her classmates were commoners, even if they knew the truth of Lelouch's identity they would never understand the danger he was in just by still being alive. The lie that the Nobility sold to the people of Britannian of the Nobility and the Royals being united and that the time of blood was over was a delusion dream. Now you just had to not be caught killing off your rival or drive them off at the first misstep, they would never understand her fear.

She had never managed to get used to the bouts of fear that she might lose Lelouch and Nunnally, or even worse the times she feared she already had lost them. Not when she heard of the attack andEmpress Marianne's death, not when she heard of their banishment, Not when she found out Lelouch had talked back to the Emperor, not when the invasion happened, not when word came that Lelouch and Nunnally had been killed by the Japanese, and not every time Lelouch had disappeared on her since he had shown up on the stoop of the her family's home on the Academy grounds battered, filthy and bruised pulling little Nunnally in a broken red wagon all those years ago.

She forced herself to blink back tears as she pushed open the door to the clubhouse, instantly glad that she did not wear any makeup today. It would not do to arrive and find Lelouch then have to answer why she looked a mess. And that thought was like a blast of cold water that woke her from her worry. Quickly she dried her eyes and plastered on the best peppy and carefree smile she could, and slowed down to a brisk walk. It still took her no time at all to reach the Lamperouge wing as they called it in the student council.

She quietly let herself in, glad that Nunnally always was willing to help her make a copy of the new key every time Lelouch had the locks changed. She was not in the mood to think about how most of those times it was because of her that the locks were changed. As soon as the door was open she heard Nunnally laughing at something from what she thought was the dining room.

Relief swept through her, and she could physically feel it pass through her. Nunnally would not be laughing right now if Lelouch was not OK, well maybe she might but only to cheer him up and it would have to be a very minor problem.

Still determined to check on Lelouch she made her way down the hallway, she made it about halfway before she heard Nunnally cut off in the middle of saying something about folding paper, and she knew she was caught. How Lelouch never managed to realize how good Nunnally's hearing had gotten neither she nor Nunnally really knew. Nunnally thought that just like everything else Lelouch could only see her as a little child that he had to take care of and protect. She felt that was likely true but she also thought that Nunnally should stop keeping her mask of theinnocent little child fall around her brother. She knew that when she had let her mask down around Lelouch it had been like a weight had come off her shoulders, and the few times that Lelouch had let his mask slip a little bit more with her, he always seemed a bit lighter afterwards. She was drawn from her musings as she turned into the dining room and found Lelouch, Nunnally and Sayoko all sitting at the table eating.

Past the brief moment of surprise that Sayoko was eating with them, her sight focused in on Lelouch as she took in every detail as she made sure he was in one piece. It was only when Nunnally cleared her throat that her eyes came off of Lelouch and focused on Nunnally. She was surprised at the tone of Nunnally's voice when she said, "Milly is that you?"

It sounded almostaccusatory, and for a brief moment she didn't know why. It was the look ofmischief on the younger girls face that made the accusation plain to her. Though when Lelouch turned to look at her, she felt her ears heat up, and was glad she wore her hair down today. Lelouch knew well that the only way she blushed was if her ears lit up, and he would want to know why. Aspleasant as those thoughts were, She and Lelouch, she could never do that to him. Her parents... No. She couldn't.

Instead she kept her cheery mask in place before addressing Lelouch, "What is this I hear about my Primary minion disappearing while gambling vice pres?"

  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok so I figure I should start with this. I used to have a fanfiction.net account where I had a few stories... Then you know how life is and I just get away from writing. So I had not updated anything in the last few years, and I seemed to have reached a point in my life were I want to start writing again I took them down. I am working on fixing and polishing them up and will then be posting and continuing the stories. 2 Harry potter stories, 1 Code Geass, and 1 A song of fire and ice if anyone is interested in Betaing them.


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